Steering wheel



May 28', 1929.

L., c.l LAzEAR SIEEERIN'G WHEEL Original- Filed May l, 1919 'jf/2 I M:ff 5 Patented May 28, 1929,

ineen LEROYl C. LAZEAR,`OF CHICAGO, ILLNOS, ASSGNOR T() THE BILLIVJIANUFACLllTEtlfl'GrA COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATON OFOHIO'.

STEERNG WHEEL.

j Application led May 1, 1919,Serial No. 293,980.A Renewed July 6, 1922.Serial No. 573,189.

This invention has to do With steering Wheels for automobiles, motorboats, etc.,

certain unsightly parts to the steering WheelV vor to the post uponwhich it is mounted. Such steering Wheel locks, furthermormareordinarily complicated', and not uniformly eifect-ual, so that theyperform inadequately `their intended functions; In addition to thesedisadvantages, it is usually not diliicult for an unauthorized person topick or tamper with the locks so provided7 in consequence of' Which noreal protection is afforded.

' My improved steering Wheel provides a con# nection With the post Whichis entirely concealed so that the Wheel remains substantially the samein appearance as others commonly in use it includes means, however,bywhich the Wheel may be readily'rendered operative or inoperative asdesired'. 'It is, furthermore', simple and positive vinits action, andretains Within its own body practically all the operative velementsnecessary to effect the desiredy .locking and `unlocking actions. Forthese as Well as other reasons, it is practically immune from tampering*These and other objects of my invention will more fully hereinafterappear from the speciiication and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawin@V in Which- 2Figure 1 is a vieW looking toward the under side ofthe central portion of a steering Wheel constructed in accordance withmy invertion, the spider plate being removed to better eX- hibit theinterior parts; and

Fig. 2 is a cross section therethrough, taken on line 2-2 of Fig'. 1.-

Inasmuch Vas the parts special to this inventionare all located in thecentral portion of the Wheel, I have thought itsulhcient to illustrateonly this portion. Accordingly there ...isshovvn the inner ends 'of theWheel spokes `Which may conveniently be four inl number designated as A,B, C, andvDl Itvvill be'y shoulder 12 in protecting "relation thereto.

`understood that these spokes extend outivardl Y ly trom the center asfar as desired to support,

annular shoulder 12 is provided above Which is a neck 1 3 Whichterminates in a threaded head 14 of a reduced diameter, slots 15 beingcut into the head and neck as shovvn.- The hub 10 which isarranged toiit upon a post so formed is provided With one or more slotscomplementary .to the slots 15, so that keys 16 may be receivedthereinto lock the hub non-rotatably to the post.

It will be noted that the several spokes oi 1 `the Wheel are mergedinto-a central portion Whichpis holloWed to provide a space for-thereception of the hub and the various locking elements thatv ywillpresently be described.

.This space, in the construction shown., opens onto the under side' otthe Wheel to facilitate' its inanufactureand assembly, but in completedcondition is closed by meansl of a spider plate 17 suitably secured inplace With'rivets 18 or other appropriate devices. the hub the spiderplate` isl formed With a `flange 19 Which preferably depends below theThe upper side'of the Wheel adjacent its center is formed to .overliethe hubA and to occupy an outer and underlying relation to va cap 2Othatn is threaded upon the post head.v Nithin p this lcap are slots'corresponding to the slots 15, permitting the keys' 16jvhen driven toposition to lock the cap against removal from the post. Overlying theycap is a shield l21 curved to resist engagementy by a Wrenc'hor othervinstrument, land having its circular ed 'ge Adjacent to r 22 lodgedWithina suitable slot forv this purpose that is formed on the uppersider ot the l Wheel. The shield may be sprung' into place and whenpositionedas described lconstitutes a barrier against insertion ofazpryi'ng instru# ment beneath the cap. interposed betvveenthe two ballracevvay's, preferably' made ci hardened steel, each inthe form of aring' designate ed as 23 arranged adjacent the yupper and lower endsrespectively of the-hub.' lt/vvill i I be noted,v that each 'end of: thehub'i-srformed 4 with an extension collar^24 Vto provide anjannular'course Within "Which-maybe"received f icc yvheelan'd hub are j l Cilanti-friction devices, such as balls adapted to co-operate with therings 23 which are seated immo vably within recesses suitably termed .inthe wheel and spider platen 'This construction provides a connectiondeveloping a minimum oit Ylriction between the wheel and hub, andprevents binding therebetween regardless et the manner in which pressuremay be` applied. This feature is of importance since it is a common'fault in steering wheels which are arranged to unlock from the postthat it a suliicient pressure be applied to one side of the wheel abinding action results such as to aiord to an unauthorizedperson aworking control of the steeringapparatus.

l The Vmeans for locking,` the wheel to the post include'notches orrecesses 26 formed on the body of the hub which lies in a planecoincident with the chamber interiorly oit the wheel, each notch, bypreference, being Y slightly tapei'ed in the direction of the wheelFig. 1. 71th this arrangement o1 the parts,

the extremities ot the bow-arms lie in proximate relation to thevicinity ot the spokes Bandi). A f

Within the spoke B I have arranged a slidable bolt whose retractivemovements are governed by a key-controlled lock'which will be presentlydescribed.

tween the proximate ends of the bow arms 2S under the influence of acoiled-spring 32 which llies in abutting relation to its rear end,whenever the clutch plates are separated sufficiently for this purpose.yMeans operable by a ,suitable key are provided 'for rey tracting thebolt 30 from its advanced posiit will V'cause the bolt 30 tobe retractedfrom tion betwecn'the bow-armsV so that the clutch plates may slideforwardly into locking relation with the hub.l I As a simple assembly'of Vparts for this purpose I haveshown in 2 a rotatable cylindricallock 83 having the usual slit for4 the ventry of a proper key, this Ylock being suitably positionediwithin the spider plate as shown. Aconnection between this lock andv the bolt 30 is provided by means of apin 34CV located eccentrically of the axis ofk the lock, and disposed-within a slot 35 formed transversely in the bolt 30, thearrangement'beingksuch that when the lock is rotated under theinliuenceof the proper key,

its advanced position.v

4. {.Withinfthe spokerD means are-provided- Thcacting end ofk this bolt,designated as 31, tends to enter bef for manually withdrawing the clutchplates 27 from engagement with the hub so as to render the wheelinoperative in its relation to the steering post. Such means include aslidable plate 86 equipped with a locking pin 37 (see Fig. 2) havingl ahead 3S normally projected under the influence ot a spring'lf) into asocket formed within the upper side of the wheel, the pin extendingdownwardly through a slot 40 formed in the spider plate and terminating`in a handle 41 as shown. By this means it will be noted that theV plate36 when positioned as shown in Fig. 1 is locked against vaccidentalmovement.

Pivotedto the forward cnd ofthe plate 36 as at 4t2 are two links 43 eachYofwhich maintains a pivotal connection as at 114C with the proximatebow arms 28 formed onthe respective clutch plates 27, vWhen these clutchplates are in engaging relation with the hub, the two links 113 assumedivergent positions, and, with the plate 36, constitute inleil'ect atoggle such that movement of the'plate 3G toward the center of the wheelwill produce a separation ot the two clutchk platcs'su'iciently distantto disengage them from the hub; and this movement will resultr inthebolt 30 under the iiillucnce ofthe spring entering intoposition betweenthe ends of the'bow arms proximate to the .spoke B, thus positivelypreventing the clutch plates 'from en'- gaging with the hub. The meansjust dcscribcd are employedior retracting'the clutch plates whenever itisfdesircd to render .theV

steering' wheel inoperative relative to the post. As already explained,however, the rcturn movements oit the clutch plates may be accomplishedmerely by retracting the bolt 30 with the aid ot a proper' keyentcredinto vthe cylindrical lock 33.

The structure o1c theprcsent steering wheel is such as to make itditlicult, it not impossible, to tamper or pick the lockingelements.

It is only by laborious eltort that the spider lplate may bere1noved,1due to the permanent character of the fasteningsv employed..While the obstacles in the wayot removing` the wheel from the post arealmost insurmountable, the operation ot initially installing` the wheelis very simple, which requires merely that the wheel and hub bepositionedupon the post, the cap applied in place, and 'the kV vi drivento position'to lock these parts in non-rotatable relation. lhentheAshield is thereafter fitted over the cap, these various parts aree'ectively protected;Y The locking parts `interiorly of the wheel arealso protected by the hard steel ball rings 23 which will vresist anyattempt at drilling prelimiporarily lock the wheel to the hub.v 1 v i' Iclaim': v. Y 'i 1 1. In'combination with a steering post having ashoulder thereon, ahub adaptedffor narv to insertionk ofi a pinz bywhich to .temf locking attachment to the post adjacent its v"ice isoshoulder, a wheel surrounding the hub having a central chamber intowhich the hub extends an anti-friction connection between the wheel andhub consisting ot an annular race-way on the hub, ball bearings therein,and a ring adapted to co-operate therewith, the wheel being lorined toprovide a seat within which the ring is accommodated, and means forrotatively locking and unlocking the wheel i'elative to the hub,substantially as described.

2. In combination with a steering post, a hub adapted for lockingattachment thereto, a wheel in operative relation to the hub havingmeans for locking therewith consisting of plates carried by the wheeland movable radially toward and from thehub which is notched to receivethe plate ends, and al toggle connection between the plates by whichthey may be moved together into and out ot locking position,substantially as described.

3. In combination with a steering post, a hub adapted tor lockingattachment thereto, and a wheel in operative relation to the hub havingmeans for locking therewith consisting oit two plates movable radiallyof the wheel and each adapted to enter notches formed within the hub, alink secured to each plate, and a member to which both links aresecured, the member, links, and plate constituting a toggle connection,whereby the plates are moved radially in unison toward and from the hubwith actuation ot the member, substantially as described.

4. In combination with a steering post having a hub, a chambered wheeladapted for mounting on the post in a manner to receive the hub withinits chamber, means within the wheel chamber adapted to interlock withthe hub, closure means for the wheel chamber having a removableconnection withv the wheel, and a' protecting v device for the closuremeans comprising a shield having. its edges sprung to lie within a slotformedy upon the wheelwliereby the shield is secured tothe wheel,substantially as described. f

5. In combination with a steering post having a hub, a chambered wheeladaptedk tor mounting on the post in a manner to receive the hub withinits chamber, means within lthe wheel chamber ladapted to interlock withthe hub, closure means for the wheel chamber having a removableconnection with the wheel, and a protecting device for the closure meansin overlying relation thereto having peripheral edges lodged within aslot formed upon the adjacent wheel side, substantially as described.

6. In combination with a steeringpost having a hub, a chambered wheeladapted tor mounting on the post iii a manner to receive the hub withinits chamber, means within the wheel chamber adapted to interlock withthe hub, closure means for the wheel chamber v having a removableconnection with the wheel, and a spring VShield overlying the closuremeans having its lperipheral edges sprung into interlocking relation`with `the wheel, the shield sides having a curvaturev such as to resistengagement from its opposite sides, substantially as described. l

7. In combination with a steering post,-a hub adapted for lockingattachment thereto,

and a wheel in operative relation to the'hub having means for lockingtherewith consistingot aplate carried by the wheel having capacity formovement towards and from the hub wherein is a notch ladapted to receivea Y' plate part, a member having capacity for movement in adirection-angular to that of the locking plate, and a link connectionextending only between the member and the locking plate part adapted totransmit movement-s from the former to the latter, substantially asdescribed. Y

8. In combination with a steering post having a hub, a chamberedwheeladapted for locking engagement with the post adjacent its shoulder, awheel surroundiiigthe hub having a central chamber within which the hubis enclosed, an anti-friction connection be'- tween the wheel and hubcomprising an annular raceway on the hub, ball bearings therein, and aring` adapted to cooperate therewith, the wheel having a seat, formedtherein for receiving. the ring,f means for locking and unlocking thewheel relative to the hub, and a protective member in interlockingrelation with the wheel for preventing access to the steering post.

' LEROY C. LAZEAR.

